Retail organisations have welcomed the expansion of mandatory Service NSW QR Codes to apply across all retail businesses.
From Monday July 12 check in via the Service NSW app will be mandatory for a number of new sectors including:
- Retail businesses and supermarkets
- Individual shops within shopping centres
- Shopping centres will also be asked to display QR codes at entry points where practicable
Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra said that the sector has been supporting the check-ins before the order.
"QR codes are recognised as a valuable means of protecting retailers and their customers in the unfortunate instance of COVID outbreaks and many retailers have embraced these proactively, ahead of the mandate.
"The key ongoing challenge for retailers in this area is around enforcement, which is a matter for the appropriate authorities and not something that can be taken on by retail staff themselves.
"A consistent and practical approach to enforcement across NSW, and around the country, is critical to safety and successful adoption," he said.
Meanwhile, the ARA is also calling for a nationally consistent approach to the definition of 'essential' retailers and the requirements to trigger a lockdown.
As demonstrated this week with NSW, WA, the NT and Queensland going into lockdown at different case numbers, Zahra said a consistent approach to a lockdown would help retailers to better prepare for it.
"A nationally consistent approach is critical to ensure consumers, business and retail teams can play their role safely, efficiently and effectively.
"Currently, lockdowns mean different things to different states.
"If you’re a fashion retailer in Sydney you’re still allowed to open under the current stay-at-home orders, however the current health instructions are to shop for ‘essentials’ only, leaving many retailers open with no customers.
"For retailers with a national footprint, this lack of clarity is unnecessarily stressful.
"Businesses are at the mercy of the different state and territory leaders in terms of what defines essential and how they might respond to new COVID cases in the community.
"There’s no consistency and it leads to mass confusion for retailers and customers.
"We must have national harmonisation on what triggers a lockdown, and what is defined as essential and non-essential retail, and the only way we can achieve that is through agreement at National Cabinet," he said.